Georg gives us another master class in composition and conversion with the 55. Great set. Certainly inspiring, demonstrating how important framing of a photo is, whether gained in camera or post.

Great portrait Ian and yes, it is nice to know that you're capable of taking color photos as well...

Congratulations on your new lens Ray. I KNOW you'll do great things with it. Interesting that Philippe added a 50 f/1.8, which is a big step for someone wedded to the 28 and 180; and Monty who seems transfixed by the 85 f/1.4 has now added the 55 f/1.2 AI: and you've added the 85. I love the work each of you does, so it is a delight to see what you'll do with your new lenses. Philippe has brought his great skill to bear on the 50 and is producing some great work. Now its your turn. Have fun Ray!

I processed some photos I took recently for my friend who has a shop in Mill Valley featuring wares from India that she imported. I shot with the 105 f/2.5 P AI'd. I really love how this sweet old lens performs.

Ian Boys wrote:
Kevin that looks scary. Are they glowing completely on their own? What makes them do that?

I only had 1 year of chemistry I'm afraid.

Its the phosphorescent alum that does it. It is mixed in with water and regular alum. Eventually it will start to grow crystals and it will trap the glowing stuff. I had it under a daylight bulb for a while to get it all nice and "glowy" before I turned off the lights and took the pic. Did them at ISO200 and f/11, 13 second exposure.

James MarkusRegistered: Jul 20, 2005Total Posts: 4573Country: United States

Ray, I'm just trying to be practical. I have big eyes for gear, but can not afford my own desires. :-)

pbraymond wrote:

James, great logic on the lens choices. I tell myself I can analyze like that, but in reality I do love "limiting" myself to MF prime lenses occasionally, thus owning the 180 and 200. We won't discuss the 20MF/24AF/28MF, 50AF/55MF, 85AF/100MF combinations I also own but at one time or another I had some kind of logic in the acquisistions. Does not hurt that the MF lenses are relatively affordable, and that the've been acquired over a spanof 15 years or so.

Thanks Curtis. I don't have any budget for gear since losing my newspaper job due to the economic crisis, and the culture shift concerning print media. I could write an incredibly boring post on how I sold and acquired gear over the last year with no out of pocket costs. I'm happy with how it is working out, but I need to justify all my equipment's existence by using it.

CGrindahl wrote:
I appreciate James, that as a pro, you need to make your decisions exactly as you explain them to us. Were I in your situation I'd certainly be doing exactly the same. In that world, as pros say, you look for the best tool for the job, regardless the label on the outside of the camera or lens. I'm more a fan, though I believe I have some capacity for judging the capability of the gear I use. Since I shoot for pleasure, of course, I can tolerate some of the aberrations found in some of these lenses.

I'm glad you've shared your work with us and have included this thread in your consideration of how to build and maintain your kit. It is a bit like a wine tasting that met every week in Berkeley in the basement of an Episcopal church. I was simply a lover of fine wines, but others in our group of perhaps forty tasters, worked for wine shops around the Bay and were tasting wine to determine what they would buy for their shop. A couple of fellows were very serious amateurs who were considering wines to add to their personal seller. This was in the 1970's and one fellow had a personal budget of $10,000 each year. I got to taste the wine and enjoyed the experience. But I was neither a pro nor a high budget connoisseur.

Good luck finding your next ideal lens...

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Georg, strong compostion on all of these!

georgms wrote:
I've spend a little extra-time at the local city-harbor. Here are some shots taken with the 55/1.2 Ai, all wide open and on the D700.

CGrindahl wrote:
I processed some photos I took recently for my friend who has a shop in Mill Valley featuring wares from India that she imported. I shot with the 105 f/2.5 P AI'd. I really love how this sweet old lens performs.

What a wonderful shot. A Very rich flavor to this one and razor sharp!!

James MarkusRegistered: Jul 20, 2005Total Posts: 4573Country: United States

Monty, I know I am late to this one, but the photo really tells the story very well.

montym wrote:
My Aunt Bun, 94 years old. Advanced Alzheimer's. SHe hasn't communicated in years. SHe is staying at a first rate care center. Hardly living though...

clouseauRegistered: Apr 05, 2009Total Posts: 42Country: Denmark

Ian Boys wrote:
50mm f1.2 ai-s @f2

Same light as the chap in the previous shot but obviously processed a little differently!

A. by Ian_Boys, on Flickr
I really like your work , when i saw the first one i was completly blown away , and the hits just keep coming !
Thank you !

The following image was captured with a Nikon D700 and 200 f4 lens. It was my first full day with the lens, and in less than 24 hours managed to shot one of my all time favorite images. I will count the minutes until the 105 f2.5 is in my hands

I have followed this thread for about a week, and it is awesome to finally be able to participate, and thanks for the warm welcome!

saphRegistered: Jun 10, 2012Total Posts: 2752Country: United States

Welcome Jammy! Good to see another recent convert. I started with DSLR photography about 6 years ago. I have been shooting almost exclusively with manual lenses the last few months, they are too much fun and unfortunately there's too many of them still floating around for acquisition

The 200 f4 is a very portable package for such a long focal length. The 105 is a stellar lens, there's too many great pics with that lens from a bunch of the thread participants.

Thanks,
Samy

Jammyn wrote:
The following image was captured with a Nikon D700 and 200 f4 lens. It was my first full day with the lens, and in less than 24 hours managed to shot one of my all time favorite images. I will count the minutes until the 105 f2.5 is in my hands

I have followed this thread for about a week, and it is awesome to finally be able to participate, and thanks for the warm welcome!

For those of you who have not visited Ian's Flickr page - you really ought to.

I did and had to stop after 50 pages because I realized I'd be up all night. Just a lot of excellent shots in there.
Not only the subject matter, framing, etc, but the post processing is really really good.

Very very instructional, inspirational, conversational, and interesting stuff.

For those of you who have not visited Ian's Flickr page - you really ought to.

I did and had to stop after 50 pages because I realized I'd be up all night. Just a lot of excellent shots in there.
Not only the subject matter, framing, etc, but the post processing is really really good.

Very very instructional, inspirational, conversational, and interesting stuff.

John
+1... I actually made it through the entire portfolio online. Impressive. I wish I could sit behind him for a day as he does his post work...the images are all spot on and appear effortless.

georgmsRegistered: Jan 08, 2009Total Posts: 3599Country: Germany

Peter, awesome portrait of the crowned crane! The backlight works great. One of these birds actually pecked a small spot in my old Sigma 14/2.8 - about 12 years back I was shooting curious cranes at the local zoo and was getting very close to the fence. Too close, a "plock" and that lens had a scar. After looking at your wonderful picture I took the battered lens out of the cabinet and tried to take a picture of the "scar":scarface Sigma von georgsfoto auf Flickr
the spot about 2/3 high on the left side was caused by a crowned crane - D700, 55/1.2 on tubes